__/ [ Mark Kent ] on Saturday 19 August 2006 21:39 \__
> begin oe_protect.scr
> Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
>> Google To Pay Freight for Number 2 Linux Guy
>>
>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>| ...Google is going to pay his salary while he continues to act as the
>>| 2.6 kernel's maintainer full-time.
>>|
>>| He expects to be happy with an office at Google, which has its own Linux
>>| distribution. He is quoted as saying, "It is beneficial to me - and to
>>| Linux - that I be in day-to-day contact with people who use Linux for
>>| real things."
>> `----
>>
>> http://linux.sys-con.com/read/262335.htm
>
> Does rather suggest that google are willing to invest in Linux, doesn't
> it? I'd like to see them doing more, of course, and I'd like to see
> them releasing some code for linux themselves, although remunerating
> Andrew Morton is a good route.
Have a look at code dot google dot com. It's administered by Chris DiBona
(formerly a Slashdot editor). Google has done a lot when it comes to funding
open source. They run a competition for programmers, which is called Code
Jam, if I recall correctly. There is also Summer of Code, which funds some
very formidable and influential OSS projects. Whatever weakens Microsoft and
makes the image of Google (perception) improve, serves them well. What's
more, Google uses a lot of that software in-house. That's why they issue
Apache patches (they have got Greg Stein from the Foundation) and they also
improve projects like WinE (by funding primarily) and the Linux kernel (I
suspect they have a modified version). They use some variant of Red Hat, or
Debian, as well as Goobuntu on the desktop. It's only a matter of time (when
there is public acceptance rather than fear and hatred) before Google
advertises Linux in the SERP's (billions of page impressions!). This has
already been done with Firefox. Given Microsoft's 'high priority' update for
XP (Internet Explorer 7), this was justified. Microsoft will spy on IE7
users (getting a trail of pages visited) to improve its search results
(Live/MSN). WGA is peanuts compared to the privacy invasion we are all yet
to witness. And the back doors to Windows.... well, that's just a secret.
Microsoft will call it rumours and continue to refuse disclosure of the
specifications to the EU. It's will eat the fines and it will enjoy it very
much.
Best wishes,
Roy
PS - it was a ramble, so it's probably messy.
--
For governments that eavesdrop, here is a quick list of tags: Communism,
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